China badminton chief under investigation, BWF says

BEIJING: Badminton’s world governing body said on Tuesday it had not been in contact with the head of the sport in China and was continuing to watch developments after Chinese anti-corruption authorities said he was under investigation.

Zhang Jun, the president of the Chinese Badminton Association (CBA), was accused last week of suspected serious violations of discipline and law, according to Chinese authorities. The term is commonly used in China in cases linked to corruption. No details of the allegations against the 48-year-old have been made public.

State media said part of the investigation concerns Zhang’s work at the CBA. China is the dominant force in world badminton, and Zhang is one of the sport’s best-known figures. He won Olympic gold in mixed doubles at the Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 Games.

BWF monitoring the situation

Badminton World Federation secretary general Thomas Lund said the organisation was aware of the allegations but had little verified information beyond that. "We've tried obviously to get more information but there's no real deep information available, at least from a validated source," he added,

Lund said Zhang remains a member of the BWF council, which oversees the sport globally. However, his other responsibilities within the governing body have been adjusted for the time being.

According to Lund, Zhang’s other roles, including his position as chair of the events committee, have been temporarily reassigned. He also said there had been no direct contact with Zhang.

Role in Chinese and world badminton

Zhang serves on the BWF council and is also part of several committees and commissions within the international governing body. His standing in badminton has been shaped both by his playing career and his later administrative work.

After retiring in 2007, Zhang joined the coaching staff of China’s national team. He later became head of the Chinese Badminton Association in 2019.

The investigation comes as attention focuses on one of the most influential figures in a country that has long set the standard in international badminton. For now, the BWF has said it is waiting for more information from reliable sources before taking any further view on the matter.